System Anomaly: The Sin of Greed[LitRPG/Prog Fem/Anti-Hero]

Morning in the Ivory Citadel dawned with a soft, silvery mist floating between the marble towers. 

Diana sat at the suite’s table, wearing a clean shirt, staring at the floating window she had requested directly from the System right after waking up.

After the revealing conversation of the previous night, she wanted no more half-truths. She wanted the exact numbers of her anomaly.

”Display the hidden passive effects panel.” Diana ordered mentally. ”Everything my soul is forcing the interface to do.”

—As you wish, my dear auditor of miracles.

The System’s voice echoed in her head. The golden screen crackled and shifted to a shade of glowing black gold, revealing a list of information that had never appeared on her standard status panel:

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[ANOMALY HIDDEN PASSIVE EFFECTS PANEL]

- [Resource Distortion (Absolute Hunger)]: The soul’s ravenous nature causes the System to extract 20% more Experience and 25% higher item drop rate from all defeated targets. Allows occasional extraction of attributes or rare items from enemies under extreme terror.

- [Possessor’s Aura (Subordinate Influence)]: Official party members under your direct leadership receive a +15% shared Experience bonus and 30% faster practical skill learning speed.

- [Servitude Resistance (The Soul Does Not Bow)]: Absolute immunity to mind control spells, submission collars, slavery contracts, or coercive magical influences. Diana’s soul belongs solely to herself and cannot be possessed.

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Diana read every line in silence.

The last effect, [Servitude Resistance], ignited a cold flash of dangerous pride in her dark eyes. 

Immunity to mind control and slavery. No one in that world, no noble, no Duke, and no Supreme Demon Lord could ever place a chain around her soul.

Possessor’s Aura… Diana analyzed the second hidden skill. That’s why Rhea climbed from Level 2 to 5 in a week and learned [Shadow Step] in a matter of days. My mere presence accelerates the growth of whoever walks with me.

”Useful.” Diana murmured to the screen. ”Very useful.”

—’Useful’ is an understatement.

The System mocked, the screen reverting to its default golden hue.

—This is basically a biological cheat code of the universe. But now that you’ve reviewed your divine privileges, shall we head to the central sector quest board?

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At that moment, Rhea stepped out of the suite’s bathroom, already dressed in her light hunter armor with her twin daggers at her belt, ready for the daily combat routine.

”I’m ready, Diana.” Rhea said, perking her silver ears with determination. ”Where are we hunting today?”

Diana looked at the hybrid girl.

Rhea was on high alert, ready to follow Diana to the bottom of any dangerous dungeon. But Diana had noticed the subtle marks of fatigue accumulated around the wolf’s amber eyes, in addition to the torn civilian clothes Rhea kept in her bag because she lacked the money to buy normal clothes.

Diana stood up from the chair, grabbing her coat.

”Take off that armor.” Diana said in a calm tone.

Rhea blinked, confused. ”What…?”

”Today is a day off too.” Diana declared.

The silence in the room was so thick it could be cut with a dagger.

—TWO DAYS IN A ROW?!

The System interface exploded in the middle of the room with lines of text flashing red and yellow.

—TWO CONSECUTIVE DAYS OFF?! WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DID YOU DO WITH GREEDY DIANA?!

—Someone bring a magic priest! The girl who killed rats for five bronze has gone completely insane!

Rhea stood frozen, her mouth slightly agape, staring at Diana as if the human girl had just spoken in an alien language.

”T-Two days…?” Rhea stammered, her silver ears drooping slightly from shock. ”But Diana… we need to level up… we need money…”

”We have eleven silver coins stashed in our pockets.” Diana said, adjusting her coat collar with pragmatic coldness. ”And walking through a noble citadel wearing dust-covered combat leather is a public relations disaster. If we want access to the higher tiers of the Second Circle, we need decent civilian attire and geographical knowledge of the city.”

Diana looked Rhea up and down.

”Besides, you look like a beggar when you aren’t wearing armor.” Diana added, trying to sound as distant and grouchy as possible. ”I refuse to walk around with a subordinate who looks like she rolled out of the trash.”

Rhea stared at Diana for three full seconds.

The hybrid girl was no fool. She knew Diana could have simply bought cheap clothes and sent her off to train. But the black-haired girl was dedicating her time, her day, and her money to take her out through the Ivory Citadel.

A warm, immensely sweet, genuine glow lit up Rhea’s amber eyes. A beautiful smile surfaced on the wolf girl’s face.

”Understood, Diana!” Rhea said enthusiastically, unclipping her daggers from her waist. ”I’ll change!”

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Commercial District of the Second Circle - The Ivory Citadel

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The streets of the Second Circle’s commercial district were a parade of luxury and sophistication.

Diana and Rhea walked side by side along the white marble paved avenues. Rhea looked at everything with childlike fascination: flying crystal carriages, sparkling display windows with magical artifacts, and hanging gardens of medicinal plants.

The first stop was at a high-end tailor shop named Silk & Shadow.

Diana rejected the cheap options of coarse cotton and insisted on selecting a high-quality civilian outfit for Rhea: a long dark-blue velvet overcoat with silver accents, tailored to comfortably accommodate her wolf ears and tail, paired with flexible fabric pants and soft leather boots.

For herself, Diana bought an elegant jacket of tailored black leather with a high collar and fitted pants.

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[EXPENSES AT ’SILK & SHADOW’ TAILOR SHOP]

- Dark Blue Velvet Civilian Set (Rhea): -60 Bronze Coins.

- Tailored Leather Jacket (Diana): -40 Bronze Coins.

TOTAL SPENT ON CLOTHES: 1 Silver Coin (100 Bronze).

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When Rhea stepped out of the fitting room wearing the dark blue overcoat with silver details, the transformation was striking. The girl who had looked like a frail slave in the Dust District now looked like a young noblewoman from an elite hunter lineage.

Rhea looked at herself in the shop’s tall glass mirror, touching the soft velvet fabric with trembling fingers.

”Diana…” Rhea said, her voice thick with emotion, looking at the human girl through the mirror. ”This is… so beautiful… I’ve never worn anything like this in my life…”

”It looks acceptable.” Diana said, arms crossed, masking the obvious approval she felt upon seeing the result. ”At least now you won’t embarrass my name on the street.”

The second stop of the day was at the delicacy market in the central plaza.

Diana bought skewers of infernal beast meat roasted with aromatic herbs, flaky puff pastries stuffed with savory fire fruits, and two mugs of iced local fruit tea.

They sat on a stone bench near a large fountain of magical water in the center of the plaza, eating and watching the city bustle.

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[FOOD AND OUTING EXPENSES]

- Street Delicacies + Fire Fruits + Iced Tea: -40 Bronze Coins.

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— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

[FULL FINANCIAL AUDIT]

Previous Balance: 11 Silver Coins (1,100 Bronze).

DAY OFF EXPENSES:

- Luxury Civilian Clothes (Silk & Shadow): -1 Silver Coin (100 Bronze).

- Food and Street Food: -40 Bronze Coins.

TOTAL SPENT TODAY: 1 Silver Coin and 40 Bronze Coins (140 Bronze).

[NEW ABSOLUTE POCKET BALANCE: 9 SILVER COINS AND 60 BRONZE COINS (960 Bronze!)]

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Nine silver coins and sixty bronze. 

It was still an extremely solid sum for the Second Circle’s standard of living.

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Rhea took a bite of the flaky pastry and closed her eyes, savoring the sweet and spicy filling with a sigh of pure happiness.

She looked at Diana, who was taking a sip of the iced tea while inspecting the paper district map.

”Diana?” Rhea called softly.

”What is it?”

”Thank you for today.” Rhea said, her silver ears perked with affection. ”I know you say you do these things for ’strategy’ or ’investment’… but I know you care about me. No one has ever looked after me like this.”

Diana froze with her tea mug halfway to her mouth.

She felt her face warm slightly for a fraction of a second. A strange, lukewarm, deeply uncomfortable feeling blossomed in her chest, a feeling her cold, greedy mind categorically refused to call ’affection’.

Looking after her…? Affection…? Diana thought rapidly, reclaiming her usual stern expression. This is resource management! A happy ally performs 200% better in combat! It’s pure mathematical logic!

”Don’t speak nonsense, Rhea.” Diana said grouchily, turning her face back to the map. ”I am merely ensuring that my Agility 17 asset is in prime operating condition. Tomorrow the rest ends.”

Rhea laughed softly, a clear, sweet laugh that echoed near the fountain. She leaned against the bench beside Diana, knowing full well that beneath that tough, arrogant, greedy shell, Diana had a heart that cared far more than she would ever admit.

—Awww…

The System whispered in Diana’s mind, the interface flashing with ironic text in the corner of her vision.

—The great and terrible anomaly of Hell is getting sentimental over her pet wolf! How adooorable! Want me to log this in your character sheet?

”Shut the fuck up, you trash can.” Diana growled mentally. ”Tomorrow we go to the Second Circle Hunters’ Guild. And you better prepare the quest notifications, because I am recovering every single cent of those forty bronze coins I spent today.”

Final Notes:

I’m starting to think Diana got replaced, I swear-

But yeah, look at Diana and Rhea’s relationship starting to bloom even more! As much as she denies it, she really cares about the girl. I think I can safely say she’s our favorite wolf now, right?

What are you guys thinking of their relationship so far?